


Mating Season - Wrath

by MadSoullessQueen



Series: Mating Season [1]
Category: Fairy Tail, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Complete, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Season, One Shot, Romance, Sex Slave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:28:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24736951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadSoullessQueen/pseuds/MadSoullessQueen
Summary: Every 25 years Hell goes through a 5 day Mating Season, a time of fighting and heated sex to bring about new life and mates.Claude was never a fan of Mating Season and after his crushing defeat in London, decided it was time to spend it in the basement of an opium den. Enjoying his bliss, he's rudely interrupted by the one demon he never wanted to see again, Sebastian. This time the other demon is not here to pick a fight but to offer him a contract that would let him leave Hell during Mating Season. A contract that would show Claude how wrong he was for many years.Lucy was captured by Bora, she had never had the chance to find Fairy Tail and spent her last few years under his magic and used as a sex slave. Nothing affected her anymore, her mind glossing over her life as one of his dolls. Until the day a new customer arrives at the mansion, he's fierce and beautiful and opens her world in a way she never experienced. Would she finally know freedom?
Relationships: Claude Faustus/Lucy Heartfilia
Series: Mating Season [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1788697
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	Mating Season - Wrath

Reminder, I own neither Fairy Tail or Black Butler. You may all thank GemNika, she enabled the hell out of me.

* * *

Claude watched the smoke spiraling up from his thin lips. He closed his golden eyes and relaxed against the plush velvet pillows. He adjusted his position and fingered the hose between the long digits.

The effects were starting to take hold and he felt his muscles turn to water and his mind banishing away the last of the ill feelings. No longer seeing the red eyes of his enemy or feeling the injuries that ripped through his skin. Now everything was nothing and zen achieved through the bliss of emptiness.

He inhaled more of the opium mixture and let his eyes close as he pondered…

Nothing.

It was bliss.

As he readied himself to sleep in his private room in this den of sin, the door creaked open. Claude turned his head and reached into his shirt pocket for his glasses. As he put them on, the now intruding fuzzy form became clear.

The bliss was gone, quicker than it took for him to achieve it. He looked at his unwelcome intruder and sneered as the bastard wrinkled his pert nose and carefully removed his white gloves. Claude said nothing as the invader took off his black suit coat, hung it on the brass knob bolted to the stone wall.

Silence stretched on as the other demon adjusted his black bangs and slowly sat down across from him. He stretched out his long legs and propped himself against the large purple cushions. The dim glow of yellowed gas bulbs softly illuminated the room and left flickering long shadows everywhere.

The menace reached over and took one of the jade mouth tips, helping himself to a bit of Claude’s little escape. The silence stretched on, as Claude and the other demon each took long pulls from the jade and gold hookah in the center of the room.

“Ah, that is better,” he said before he put the mouth tip back on the floor near the base. “Tell me Claude, how are you?”

His nostrils flared out as his eyes narrowed and he looked over the rim of his glasses. “Peachy, Sebastian. Can you not tell?”

The other demon gave him a slight smile, “yes, well, you were going after my brilliant soul. What did you think would happen?”

“As usual the finest of edibles for our royalty and scraps for those who work.”

Sebastian chuckled, it was not a friendly chuckle, “really? We are having this discussion, again?”

“Why not, your  _ highness _ ,” Claude took another hit of the opium and held it as he watched Sebastian lean back and put his hands behind his head. The demon had the nerve to act as if he owned the room.

“So much venom,” Sebastian snickered, “it is not my fault you are greedy. Remember Icarus.”

“Blow me,” Claude replied.

Sebastian arched a sculpted brow as a corner of his mouth lifted, “desperate, Claude?”

Claude said nothing as he rolled his eyes and pushed himself up to more of a sitting than a reclining position. He reached over to the bowl of fruit to his right and grabbed a red grape, popping it into his mouth and chewing slowly to gather himself.

He couldn’t afford another fight with the damn Prince and he just wanted his alone time. He needed to lick his wounds, as the saying goes. Though he was wondering what the Heaven the other demon was doing here.

“I can see it all over your face. Go on, ask me.”

He let out a harsh breath through his nose and swallowed the mashed grape. “What the Heaven do you want?”

“Tomorrow is Mating Season,” he said, and Claude removed his glasses before scrubbing a hand over his face. He may have also whispered a few choice words under his breath.

He forgot all about it, the 5 days of endless fighting and sex in the hopes of finding a mate. Hell and the Underworld went through it every 25 years and every demon returned for it. Well those that felt a need to, mates could be anywhere and for as many demons that came home, many left in the stupid pursuit.

Claude hated Mating Season and made his displeasure known. It was how he first met the Prince who sat across from him. A long time ago, a young and brash demon petitioned that the Mating Season was useless and that instead of forcing the heat upon all demons, it should be ended.

That exchange did not go well, because no one can fight nature. Their baser animalistic instincts drove them to this useless pursuit of a mate. Those demons that found their mates were disgustingly happy. All other demons were left wanting and stricken. Families divided, friends became enemies and so on as demons gave into Envy in the days that would follow the season.

Every Mating Season, Claude fought against it. Fought every demon and demoness that came for him. Fought through the despair that happened because he felt nothing.

Not. A. Damn. Thing.

“Are you finished with your inner tirade?” Sebastian asked as he reached for the mouth tip.

“Yes,” Claude said through gritted teeth.

“I know you hate the season; your females are not known to be kind.”

“What does this have to do with anything?” Claude asked, deflecting from the statement and waving his arm in annoyance.

Every demon knew that Arachnid demonesses had a high chance to be cannibals. Many of their mates would be consumed and sometimes their own progeny. His own mother had eaten his father and his father was not even an Arachnid. That he knew of, Claude’s mother never talked about the demon who sired him and his siblings.

Sebastian let out a plume of smoke and licked his bottom lip, “I am getting to that. Let us drop the pretenses for a moment, you know exactly who I am.”

“I do, again what does one of the Nine want with me?”

“I need your Wrath; it is a glorious thing,” Sebastian looked at him, his expression neutral, “I prefer your Wrath to your Greed.”

Claude blinked, “a compliment, odd.”

“You cannot go back to Earth for many years yet, however you can go to a place called Earth Land. There is a sex slave trade, I would be grateful if you,” a slow menacing smile crept on his elegant lips, “destroyed it and brought me the leaders. You can have however many souls you want from their underlings, but I demand the leaders.”

“A  _ Konlicht-Vertag _ ?” Claude asked, using the  _ Infernai _ formality for a Royal Contract.

“Of course, you have my word as Asmodai, Prince of Lust,” Sebastian stood up and adjusted his pants before extending a slim hand.

Claude tilted his head and slowly rose. He eyed the beautiful demon and carefully considered the words. A Royal Contract was a good thing for a Contractor, a successful completion gifted status and riches, not that he was worried about such things. The risk was that if he failed or broke the contract, the punishment was endless torture upon the spikes outside of the Capital.

For a second, he saw a glimmer in one of the Prince’s eyes and noticed the slight lift of his mouth’s left corner. The look erased itself and Sebastian stood there, a blank slate.

“What are you not telling me?”

“Earth Land has mages, so you are free to use your own demonic gifts without worry of annoying Lucifer.”

“Which means I also have a higher chance of never returning to Hell. This is as much a suicide mission as it is a favor.” Claude pinched his forehead.

“There is that,” Sebastian waved his hand dismissively, “come on, Claude do not tell me you are afraid. What happened to all that fire you showed me as a youth or recently in London?”

“I died, you asshole,” he shot back.

“You got over that,” Sebastian clicked his tongue, it made Claude’s eye twitch, “come now Claude. Can you not see how generous I am being? Even after all that nonsense?”

He ran a hand through his disheveled dark plum locks, before he crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance, “I know better than to trust your attempt to play nice.”

Sebastian gave him an approving nod, “That is fair, and I do have other motives for wishing you out of Hell and dealing with this issue for me. Those, however, as I have heard… Are above your pay grade.”

Claude clenched his fists, feeling his arms tighten under his white shirt. His top lip pulled up and he sneered at Sebastian who was busy studying his black nails as if nothing bothered him. Behind Sebastian spiders of various sizes started scurrying up the stone wall.

The Prince rolled his merlot eyes, “I did compliment your Wrath, you have a better execution of it than Greed. Now, despite the risks and the fact that I may be toying with you, will you accept the  _ Konlicht-Vertag _ ?”

“Shall I assume I have no choice?” he asked through tight lips.

“You always have a choice. A right choice and a foolish choice.”

Claude analyzed the situation for a moment and though Sebastian kept him on edge, he didn’t sense anything that was a plan to kill him. Instead the Prince seemed too calm and satisfied with what he was proposing. He’d always known Sebastian – Asmodai - to be complicated and after several hundred years they did have an interesting adversarial and cordial relationship.

This day was just another day for the two demons.

“Does Leviathan know about this?” Leviathan was one of the Nine and in charge of the Contractors. She was as skilled with twisting words into lies as she was with a contract and thus created a system of perverted honesty that filtered into demonic society.

Sebastian nodded, “I have spoken to my twin about this and have her blessing to offer the contract. Now then, do you have other questions,” he paused and licked his bottom lip. Claude shook his head and averted his eyes, the biggest problem with the demon before him was that he was Lust personified and often made it a game to drive anyone into pure wantonness.

“You just want the leaders alive? I have free reign over any other soul?”

“Not just any soul, Claude. You cannot go feasting on the innocent. I do not wish to have to deal with an angry Michael or Gabriel.”

He arched a brow and let out a bare whisper of a sly smile. Sebastian groaned, “really? You would annoy me with pious Archangels just for your own amusement?”

Claude shrugged and put his hands into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels, feigning innocence. This only prompted Sebastian to chuckle before he started to outright laugh. “Leia would be on the floor rolling around in a fit of giggles right now.”

“It is one of the reasons she likes me.”

“So now that we have gotten all that out of the way. The contract?” Sebastian looked over his shoulder and sighed, “please explain to your familiars that they do not need to eat my eyes and tongue.”

Claude waved his hand and dismissed the spiders, watching them disperse back to the places they were hiding. He took a bit of satisfaction in seeing the other demon try to adjust himself and not look unnerved by their presence. Yes, even big scary fallen Seraphim Princes hate spiders.

“I bring the leaders to Hell alive, destroy the sex slave trade, use all my demonic gifts carte blanche, and I get to help myself to any low-level criminal soul?”

Sebastian nodded, “fine, any low-level criminal. Do not think for a moment I did not catch that. Go and gorge yourself. You must be back after Mating Season. You have, not counting today 6 days.”

Claude pursed his lips, “must be a small ring. Usually these things can involve hundreds of people, government officials and several nations. Why this one?”

“Above your pay grade and yes, it is small. Though you will want to take your time with it. Mages are difficult.”

“Then we shall need to finalize this contract.” He held out his hand and quickly sliced a black nail through the pale flesh. A line of dark red blood bubbled to the skin; it was enough for this deal.

“I, Asmodai, Prince of Lust, one of the Nine and the third Seraphim offer the contract,” he slit his own hand and took Claude’s, the blood meeting as the magic started to form.

“I, Pallidus,” Claude paused, it had been a while since he had to think of his full title, “second hierarchy to Prince Leviathan, Contractor Marquis, accept the contract.” 

The magic warmed between their hands and he felt the skin on the left side of his waist warm up. What people didn’t know was that no one could control where the contract mark would appear. Least this time it wasn’t on his damn tongue.

“You know, I often forget that you have done very well for yourself, despite how you choose to live,” the Prince said as they let go of each other’s hands.

“I prefer not to have the attention, it keeps,” he swallowed, “the female Arachnids away from me.”

Sebastian nodded, “so would a mate.”

Claude wanted to say something to the Prince but before he could open his mouth, the damn arrogant son of a bitch was gone.

Lucy woke up in her familiar bed, she felt the arms of a familiar man wrapped around her and the ever-familiar sticky feeling between her legs. It was just another day.

Which day was the mystery, though it didn’t matter. All her days were the same and so she lifted the man’s arm to roll out of the bed to go about the same day.

A life on endless repeat, this was what she tried to run from and found herself in a situation even worse.

The man groaned as he rolled over, taking the red bedding with him to create a little cocoon. Lucy put on her silk black robe and tied it loosely before she moved into the private bathroom connected to it.

Her mind glossed over the details, as she had been in the same room for years. The antique furniture, the gauzy curtains in Sevenese lace, the hand woven Minstrellian area rug, and the constant stench of sweat and sexual fluids. All of it in their proper places and holding no true meaning in her mind.

Lucy entered the bathroom and went through her motions without a thought to spare on such things. She washed herself, took her required pills, brushed her teeth and other daily routines. Today she noticed that her shampoo was almost empty and as usual she would have to tell her attendant to go outside and find more.

She was not allowed to leave her room for even the most minor and mundane of things.

Lucy stood in front of the full-length mirror and checked her body. There were small red marks from where she was bitten along her inner thighs and on her breasts. Her eyes glossed over the scar of the branding that was applied above her right breast. She reached out for the small jar of ointment and tended to them, her expression blank as they faded from her skin and her memory.

She put her robe back on and hung up her damp towel on the golden towel rack. As she came back into the room, ready for another day the man was sitting up and stretching.

“You forgot something,” he said, his voice like gravel.

Lucy nodded and stepped back into the bathroom to fetch her collar. She attached the blue leather strap to her neck and adjusted the small silver charm to dangle in the center. This little piece of leather was the only new thing in her life and had not become part of the familiar.

She came back into the room and the man ran a hand through his brown hair, showing off the tattoo over his right brow for a moment before his hair would cover it again. “I shouldn’t have to remind you, pet.”

“Yes, master Bora,” she said her voice empty of inflection and barely above a whisper. As she was only allowed to speak at this level, unless she was being used then she was encouraged to scream and moan as loud as the client demanded.

He pattered the empty spot in the canopy bed and Lucy padded over to it. She sat next to him, trying to not sit on the white spot that still had not fully dried. Bora put his arm around her and pulled her into his lap.

He placed a kiss to her damp hair, “why do you not look happier to see me? After all these years and my diligent care of you. How could you not be happy? Look at all the wealth around you, the fact you have no hunger pains, and later you will be in the company of powerful people.”

“I am happy, master Bora. I am grateful to you for your care of me.” Lucy looked ahead at the wall and said the words she was commanded to say.

Bora ran his fingers along her delicate collar bone, “should I believe you? Where is your smile?” He pinched her chin and forced her to look at him, “hmmm, where is that glitter in your eyes. Why don’t you love me?”

Lucy smiled on cue and tried to adjust her facial expressions to give him that smile, “I do love you, Master. You have been very good to me.”

A gentle kiss to her forehead, “that’s better. Now, prove it.”

Lucy nodded and shimmied off his lap to nestle between his legs and attend to his morning erection. It was the same motions, the same taste and his same need to pull her hair and move her head if she was not taking him to his liking.

Bora would fuck her mouth, would call out her name when he unloaded down her abused throat and then praise her for swallowing him. He would then make her repeat her love for him before he would leave the room and go wherever he wanted.

Least then Lucy would have quiet time for a few minutes before her attendant and the maid would enter to do their functions. Her attendant would bring her allotted clothing for the day, apply her makeup, style her hair and take a list of anything she might need. The maid would change the bedding, dust the furniture and wipe down the bathroom. After they finished, she would be allowed her small breakfast.

She was not allowed to talk to them more than what was necessary.

A lady is seen and not heard.

A doll has no voice.

A slave makes no friends.

Lucy had learned these lessons years ago and the scars of teachings marked her mind and heart. Never her body.

No, a marred body cannot be sold.

If there was one small grace it was the fact that she was not beaten by her owners. No, they let the clients do that if they paid enough.

The room was quiet for a while and Lucy sat upon the small padded chair to look out the window. Today she noted a few new blue birds in the trees and two squirrels chasing each other. As far as she could tell she resided in some woods, but that was all she knew.

Lucy made up stories about the small animals in the maple trees, she envisioned the squirrels as young quarrelling lovers. She gave them names, Romeo and Juliette and in her mind, it was Juliette who chased Romeo. They spiraled up the tree and she gave them voices in her head, adding to the fun of her little story. This was the only entertainment she had for herself and it stopped her from descending into madness.

The door creaked open and Lucy stood up, letting her story about the squirrels drain away. Bora stood in the doorway with his ankle crossed over the other, leaning against the wooden frame in his usual silk blue tunic and black pants. “Today we have a very special gentleman visiting. Come now, pet.” He held out his hand and Lucy glided to him, taking his rough hand and let him lead her out of her room.

This was the only time she could leave her room, to be presented. It was a rare event, meaning that the person visiting was someone of considerable wealth who had been vouched for and vetted. Part of her mind remembered that she came from wealth and wondered if today would be the day she would somehow see her father again.

It was a small spark of hope, that a chance meeting would win her freedom. Then again, she abandoned the man and said many hurtful things to him before she ran away and promised to never come back. Lucy knew her father wouldn’t bother to look for her, unless he had a reason to. Whatever that reason could or would be, it hadn’t happened yet.

She was escorted to the viewing parlor which was an opulent room where the other dolls were posed in seductive positions and told to not move. Lucy wondered how many of them she would recognize. Would there be anyone new and did they have stories or personalities?

Another thing that didn’t matter, the dolls of the house were not allowed to speak to each other. They were only allowed to speak to their Master and the people who would purchase them for the night. Lucy walked into the room, seeing some familiar faces and some new ones. She was also the only one wearing a special collar.

Bora set her on the blue and dark wood settee, he had her lean against the arm and stretched her long legs out. He adjusted her gauzy pink dress, showing off the tops of her nude stockings, adorned in a thick layer of lace. After he positioned her, he stood up and looked over the room.

A curt nod and he left.

The room was mostly silent, just the sounds of the people breathing and the random crack of leather as the guards clenched and unclenched their fists. The guards all wore black suits and stood with stony expressions, they also moved with heightened speed and if they had to move to you, it did not end well.

They would take you to the penalty room, in the basement. They would leave you there and depending on the offense, you were either left in total solitude and darkness for a day or used as the guard’s plaything for a week. Lucy had experienced both forms of punishments her first few months here.

She went back to focus on her squirrel story, anything to keep her mind focused on something other than the current situation. It also helped her to not fidget and fidgeting was not wise.

The door opened and Bora entered with a loud laugh, making a couple of the dolls jump. Lucy paid no attention and stayed perfectly still.

“Oh, my lovely dolls, this is Marquis Claude Faustus, he is a special envoy from a very important political figure.” Bora’s voice was raised, it was sweet… sickeningly sweet. That meant he expected pure perfection from their performances, or the punishment would mean removal.

Everyone smiled at the envoy and Lucy felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at the man. He was tall with pale skin, golden eyes behind frameless glasses, dark plum hair that couldn’t decide if it was styled or not and looked impressive in a silk black suit. The expression on his face was unreadable and as he walked towards one of the dolls he moved with a quiet grace.

Lucy had never been taken with someone so quickly, she’d usually try to keep herself distant from their special guests. Normally she would keep staring ahead, watching her master, but this time her eyes tracked the fluid movement of the Marquis.

Her heart began to hammer in her chest when he approached her. He knelt and gently ran a white gloved hand up her leg, her breath hitched.

“You are?” he asked, his voice deep and flowing like sweet wine.

“Lucy,” she said simply.

He played with a strand of her golden hair as his eyes stayed on hers, she made no movement but to lick her bottom lip. As she took a small breath, she could smell hints of dark chocolate and something heady mixed in there. Goosebumps raced up her arms as she tried to hold very still and let him inspect her.

He stood up, “I want her.”

“Excellent, Lucy is my finest doll. She will pleasure you most thoroughly, Marquis.” Bora said with glee. Lucy knew that between the words was a threat to her, that she had better satisfy the man before her.

He held out a hand and she took it, trying to keep her wits about her and a delicate smile on her face. She had to show she was delighted by this but not overly delighted. Bora always demanded a proper mixture from her, because as he had said to her many times, she should only be truly excited for his touch.

She accompanied her guest to her room, keeping her eyes forward on the back of Bora’s head. The Marquis said nothing until they arrived at her door, at which time Lucy entered the room and to her surprise Bora closed the door before letting the man inside of it.

She sat on the edge of the red canopy bed and waited, her mind back to working on her Romeo and Juliette as squirrels’ story.

In hundreds of years, Claude hadn’t felt the rush through his body as he had as he met Lucy’s chocolate eyes. He’d never experienced a warmth overtake his mind as he had in that brief touch of her stocking covered leg. He also had never internally swooned to the soft voice of anyone.

Claude knew that Mating Season began in Hell, he could be under its effects but that did not seem plausible. Never had he felt like a waking dream just to gaze upon a woman. He pushed all of that to the back of his mind as he looked over the host of this little meeting.

Finding the man had been easy, he just simply listened in the shadows of a prestigious gentlemen's club. He heard men of various ages and levels of aristocracy talk about their pursuit of sin and how they could have anything they wanted.

A bit of compulsion magic in the smoking parlor had given him a magical business card and the passphrase. He went through the motions of the initial interview and presented his faux credentials, courtesy of Sebastian.

Which was odd, he hadn’t expected all the helpful information that was provided to him. It made finding this house significantly easier and allowed him to work within the dreaded deadline. He had 4 days left.

Though before he could burn down this place and free the slaves, he had to verify that this was the right place. That this wasn’t just a legal brothel and that the people here were not because of their own will.

Lucy felt like the right one to talk to, she looked the oldest. Not so much in appearance but by the hopelessness in her eyes and the fake smile trained upon her beautiful lips. She was as hollow as she was beautiful and that bothered him.

“My dear Marquis, we shall discuss terms,” the man said as he snapped his fingers for a sniveling assistant with a clipboard and pen to come up behind him.

“Go on,” Claude said as he pushed up his glasses and forced himself to regard the oily bastard before him. There was something odd in his aura, perhaps a kind of personality magic. That would require some work to break through in stealth. A sledgehammer would be easier, but this situation needed a scalpel. If he brought back the wrong people to Sebastian, he would be gutted.

“Lucy is exquisite and as such she has the highest fee here. That should not be a problem,” he said.

Claude shook his head, “the Jewel is no concern.”

He smiled, “good, good. Now do you have any special tastes?”

“Not this evening,” Claude let a slow dangerous smile come across his face as he looked over his glasses, “another evening I very well may. You do know how that is.”

Bora nodded, “oh yes, though to let you know, I won’t allow any lasting marks upon her. So, we can remove knives or tipped whips. I have other dolls and rooms to handle bloodlust.”

Claude arched a brow, “so you offer all pleasures of flesh then?”

“I do and the dolls here are aware of that. It is why they flock to me like little ortolans,” he said, and Claude tilted his head. It was an unusual choice of a bird, but the meaning was not lost on him.

It was considered a shame to God to eat the songbird by drowning it in the excesses of a fine brandy. The people who ate the bird did so blindfolded so God could not see their sin in silencing it’s call. That bit taught him much about the man he was dealing with and how he viewed the dolls under his roof.

“I understand,” he kept his voice neutral and shoved the disgust he felt away from his thoughts. “I will need several hours. She looks delicious and I despise being rushed.”

“She is the finest little pussy ever sampled. She has never displeased a customer and is often sought out.” He boasted of the claims, his voice elevating in pitch, which Claude understood as he was not saying this for the demon’s benefit but a subtle reminder to the woman waiting.

The tricks this man was using was not lost on Claude, demons had invented most of these forms of manipulation. The only good note on that was that it was confirming that this was the place he was looking for. Legal brothel owners often talked about their sex workers differently and those workers where nowhere near as well behaved. They held their own personalities and wildness to them, that was lost here.

Claude nodded, “then she has been here for a while.”

“Lucy loves being here, you will feel that, in how well she will perform for you. I promise you Marquis, you will not regret this purchase.”

“A promise it is then,” he said, and the assistant handed him the clipboard. Claude read through the standard contract, his eyes finding all the errors in it. He signed at the bottom and reached into his coat pocket to pull out a diamond the size of his palm.

Bora’s eyes became wide as he took the small bauble, little did he know that thanks to the heat and climate of Hell, diamonds were everywhere almost worth nothing to demons. Claude’s own back yard had several areas in it that if he dug around for several minutes, he could buy a small nation with the rocks he pulled. Most of his diamonds came from just tilling the earth for his vegetable garden.

“Normally I take Jewel only, but this…” his voice trailed off as he examined it.

Claude shrugged, “I own several diamond mines, I find they speak louder than large sums of paper currency and are universally accepted.”

Bora nodded enthusiastically, “take the whole night and please come back anytime.” He held out his hand and Claude shook it before turning to enter Lucy’s room.

He stepped inside and felt a small bit of relief from being away from the man. Lucy sat on the edge of the bed, her posture was immaculate, and he eyed the blue collar around her neck. Claude reached out with his magic for a moment and felt the enchantment on it, his compulsion powers would do him no good here.

Perhaps he should have picked one of the other dolls, it would be easier to get the confession he needed. Yet none of them held a candle to the striking lost woman named Lucy. When he saw her, they didn’t matter to him, he had to have her and by his own cursed luck she would be the most difficult one.

“Your boss speaks highly of you,” he said as he stepped away from the door.

Lucy stood up and curtseyed, “Master Bora is very generous.” He watched how she reached behind her, and he heard the slight sound of a zipper. Claude closed the distance and reached behind her, holding her hand still.

“We can talk for a few minutes,” he said as he felt her soft curves press against his body.

Lucy looked up at him, “if that would please you, Marquis.”

It was a trained response, there was nothing in her voice. He gently took her chin and examined her eyes. They were dull, almost lifeless but somewhere behind them was an endless sea of hopelessness. There was a carefully guarded pain behind her soft voice and movements. Inside of her was something desperate to break free.

An ortolan trying to not drown in the brandy.

He guided her to the bed and silently fixed her dress, she took in a deep breath and he was delighted at such a simple response. Claude removed his gloves and curled bare fingers under her soft chin, tilting her to look only at him.

“You are beautifully trained. Do you enjoy this?”

“Yes, Master Bora treats me well,” she said the same response, giving away nothing. Those dull eyes never shifted to reveal, and her face was perfectly doll-like.

“Master Bora is not in the room. Remember that.” He said keeping his voice gentle and trying to get past her constructed patterns.

Claude moved his hand down and played with the collar, he could feel the magic dancing along it and it upset his stomach. The little thing was keeping her placid and his own magic was being pushed away. This was the trouble with working in a magic based world, human magic had something special to it that could nullify a demon’s own natural abilities. He would have to do this the old-fashioned way.

“You are right, Marquis.”

“Claude, use my name.”

Lucy pursed her generous lips, “Claude.” She said his name as if testing it out and sorting through if she liked it.

He very much appreciated the sound of it, she had a certain vocal quality to her. It was soothing and yet it made his blood boil to know that this was only the result of years of conditioning. How would his name sound from her lips if it was uttered in complete freedom?

“Good, ma chérie. How long have you been here?”

She lifted a delicate shoulder, “all the days are the same. I do not know.”

“Did you choose this?” he asked as he traced a fingertip along her collarbone.

“You chose me,” she replied.

Claude leaned closer to her, his lips brushing her cheek, “I did, but I did not ask you that.”

She turned her head and her lips touched his, “I am here… For you, Claude.”

He closed his eyes and left out a soft breath feeling his guard relax a little. Lucy threaded her slim fingers through his hair as she pressed her soft lips to his. Claude stopped talking and moved his lips against hers before she lightly nipped his bottom lip and his eyes shut.

Her tongue moved into his mouth and coaxed out his. He slid along hers and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. She felt good, it was unreal, and he felt his heart hammer in his chest. She tasted like strawberries and honey, the same honey that accented her doll-like voice.

His hand skimmed down her back, feeling her soft skin and the light chiffon material of her clothing. She grabbed his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. He wondered if she was trying to get them to fuse and never separate.

He would not mind in the least. Exploring her mouth had been so far the single most beautiful moment of his demonic life. Thus far.

Claude pulled back and she let out a soft whine as her hand trailed down the front of his black suit. His lips feathered against her slim jaw as she slowly leaned back, letting him push her into the soft bed.

Claude knew he should stop; his hand should not be racing up her thigh and under her dress. He should not let her undo his leather belt. He should be talking to her, plumbing her for information, not losing himself to the passionate needs boiling through his very veins.

He kissed down her neck, feeling the pulse of magic from the collar. It felt like static electricity and he pulled back, feeling her spell broken. Lucy opened her eyes and moved her hands away from his half-undone pants.

“Claude? Did I do something to dissatisfy you?” she asked, her voice meek and accented in worry as she nibbled her bottom lip.

He shook his head, “no Lucy. What is that collar?”

Her eyes got wide and she looked away, “a gift from Master Bora.”

“Can you remove it?” he asked as he looked down upon her and fought against the desire to resume their kissing.

“Yes, when the Master is with me. Does it bother you?”

He lifted a brow and considered those precise words. Claude touched the silver tag; it had her name on it and a couple symbols he was unfamiliar with. He memorized the glyphs and would spend part of tomorrow researching them.

“It just interferes with my ability to enjoy your neck,” he answered, finding it the most diplomatic answer.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and he caught the small tremble of her lip and a little moisture gathered in the corner of her eye.

Claude stroked her cheek, “it is not your fault, I am not displeased with you.”

She took a deep breath and then graced him with the trained smile, “alright. Claude, would you like to keep kissing me?”

“Very much, are you alright with that?” he asked.

“Yes. Why would you ask? You purchased me.” Lucy sounded stunned by the idea that anyone would ask her anything.

Claude stretched beside her and put his arm over her waist, he hovered his lips by her ear, “because Lucy, you still always have a choice.”

She shook her head, “I am here for you, you own me for this moment.”

“After this moment? Do you not have a choice?”

Lucy blinked and for a fraction of a second the film over her dull eyes lifted. They were clear and glassy, little flecks of gold shimmered in the brown irises. She smiled and then suddenly her neck tensed, and she resumed her perfect doll-like appearance, complete with dull lost eyes. Had Claude been human he would have missed that and that warned him that the collar was a little too dangerous.

He got up on his knees, between her legs and Lucy put her hands over her head, arching her back slightly. His fingers itched to touch her, and his cock hardened in his suit. Claude tried to ignore it along with his increased breathing as he dared to touch the collar.

He tried to wedge his fingers under the band, but Lucy opened her mouth in a silent scream. He quickly let go of it and slammed his mouth over hers. This time he kissed her as if he was going to devour her and she fluttered underneath him.

Claude now understood what he was dealing with and he did not like it one bit. His Wrath burned under his skin and he wanted to burst through the door and begin removing heads, but if he did…

He’d hurt this precious little bird under him. He’d drown this sweet ortolan not in brandy but in blood. No blindfold would hide him from that shame if he did that to her.

For now, Claude would have to play his part, leave and come back again. He would need to leave her so thoroughly satisfied that it would almost be a shield against the predator with the oily smile and a flair with words.

Lucy had been with countless men and some women. They were all so similar that they could have been the same person for all she knew. Claude was different from any of them.

He tried to talk to her, which had never happened before. Then he asked her for permission to kiss her, no one asked Lucy such things. Normally they paid the price for her and then handled her anyway to their liking.

Then there was how her heart felt around him. It thundered in her chest, threatening to break her ribs and leave. Her breathing was hitched and when she tasted him, she felt the pure warmth of ecstasy.

Now Claude was kissing her again, this time it was filled with passion and need. She felt he was deprived of something and his movements felt akin to the desperation of a starving man and a man seeking salvation. His kisses were like tiny promises and prayers against her heated skin.

His hand up her dress and he played with her sex over her lacy panties. His fingers teasing and delighting her sending small sparks across her essence. She could feel moisture gather in the material from his simplistic movements. Claude nibbled her earlobe, “I want to touch you. May I?”

Lucy arched her back and tilted her hips, seeking out more of his touch and hating the material in the way. “Y-yes, please.”

He moved the barrier to the side before he ran his finger over her clit, Lucy moaned at the movement. Claude pressed against her side; she could feel his rather generous erection press into her thigh. Lucy turned her head and closed her eyes, “kiss m-me.”

“Ma chérie,” he whispered as he claimed her mouth again, his hand relentlessly teasing her weeping core.

She bucked against his hand as he penetrated her with a long finger, slowly pumping it in and out of her as his thumb stroked her throbbing clit. She kept her hands above her head, fisting the bedding and feeling her body come alive as he played with her.

Lucy never felt anything like this – like him.

Claude was skilled with everything he gave to her, from the way his tongue slid alongside hers, the soft movements of his lips and whatever devilish thing his hand was doing to her pussy. Lucy knew she should reciprocate; she was his for the night but under his powerful sexual presence she felt weak to do more than take what he was giving her.

A second finger joined the first and he groaned against her lips, “you are so tight and wet. I bet my cock,” he ground his length against her, and she shivered, “would slide right in.”

“C-Claude,” she moaned as he curled his fingers and hit a spot inside of her that she didn’t know existed.

“Give me your Lust, Lucy. All over my fingers,” he purred into her ear, his voice rich and deep.

She closed her eyes as he played with her and her breathing became erratic as her stomach started to tighten and sweat broke out over her skin. Lucy didn’t know what was happening and opened her mouth to let out a sound she never made in earnest before.

It was a long wanton moan from the deepest parts of her core. That building coil, the racing pleasure it all swirled together to build into a storm that ravaged every nerve in her body. She felt weak and strong and ready to burst. She let go of the bedding and grabbed at Claude before she let out a scream.

Her body tensed violently, and bursts of white exploded behind her eyes. Her channel tightened around his fingers and her back arched suddenly. Lucy thought she had died or something equally powerful, but this was pure poetry of movement.

She shivered and clutched on to the man next to her as he whispered sweet foreign words in her ear. His movements slowed down, and he coaxed her down from the very stars themselves, leaving her a shaking mess upon her bed.

“You are beautiful when you come undone, like a masterpiece,” he said.

“W-wha…” her eyes fluttered as she started to feel heavy.

“An orgasm, the height of pleasure. Has no one?” he asked, and Lucy barely had the energy to shake her head.

“Then ma chérie,” he kissed the corner of her mouth, “allow me to show you again.” Lucy nodded meekly as Claude kissed her again.

Lucy woke up in her own bed, still in her dress and feeling a different kind of sensation between her legs. She wasn’t her normal sore and not as sticky as usual. Instead she felt more sensitive than ever and even the light friction from walking to the bathroom had her pausing and catching her breath.

She made it to the doorway before she leaned on it and felt her knees go weak for a moment as she thought about the previous night. Lucy looked over her shoulder and could still see herself positioned over Claude’s face as he did something truly magical with his tongue and mouth upon her sex. How he held her hips and got her to take all the pleasure he could give to her.

Lucy slid down to the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead against them. She took a moment to do something that she had not done since her first few weeks being here. She cried.

Lucy cried at the beautiful moments of pleasure she was gifted, knowing she would not likely ever be treated like that again. She cried at the thought of the man who asked her permission to touch her. She cried and found herself reaching out for the ghost of a man who was not there.

A man with golden eyes, the face of an angel and the temptation as wicked as a demon. He took nothing from her last night, instead just gave her endless pleasure until she could not physically take it anymore. Lucy remembered passing out in his arms as he whispered foreign words to her.

As he held her like his lover and not his doll.

As he kept her warm and tried to listen to her words.

As he treated her like a human and not his property.

_ Just for a few minutes, let me have this.  _ She begged anyone who would listen. Lucy had given up on God a long time ago, when he let her mother die. She also had no friends; Bora had thrown her keys away while at sea.

All Lucy had was this room and the people who used her. Until last night, she had a man who gave her pleasure and asked for nothing. There was someone out there who knew she was still a human. For one night she had the Marquis Claude Faustus.

She was so confused, her heart beating like a drum, her mind spinning around as after images invaded her thoughts. Her soul ached and her lip trembled as she shed tears hearing his deep voice speak to her. Lucy shivered and tried to process the beauty of the night.

She wanted more and wanted to see him again.

She wanted to be human.

She wanted this collar off and to leave with Claude.

For the first time in a few years, Lucy had a thought that was all her own. It was his gift to her, a choice all her own and her right to accept or deny someone touching her.

Her eyes fluttered as she whispered, “I am Lucy Heartfilia, I am a human woman. Not a doll.”

It was freeing and she whispered it again.

And again.

Until the pain.

Claude sat in the small mage library. He was surrounded with stacks of books on human runes. He checked over at the small slip of paper where he drew the symbols, trying to compare it to the texts as quickly as he could.

So far, he had found nothing on the marking on the tag, but he had felt their magical capabilities. He did not like them, not when they took away the illumination in her eyes. That fleeting look, he searched for it all through the night.

And did not find it, no matter how many times he brought her to orgasm. No matter how many times she called his name. He clenched the book in his hands as he thought of Lucy.

This morning alone he had jerked off several times, which was more than the number of times he had done it in the last fifty years, including other Mating Seasons. Each time he kept seeing her, kept seeing her body tremble, the peppering of red across her cheeks and if he licked his lips could swear, he could still taste her. Even now, thinking about it he licked his top lip and felt his dick begin to stir.

Claude hadn’t felt so much like a young demon, even when he was a young demon. He had no reference for what was causing this. Why was he so damn attracted to her? Why was he feverishly pouring over human books trying to save her?

Claude was here on a contract. He had most of his answers, just needed a complete list of the names of the ring leaders and then a chance to rip apart those guards. After all he was allowed to gorge and so he should do as such. Who knew how long until he got his next soul?

He resumed his looking and felt his top lip pull up as he readied to throw the book.

“Excuse me, is that  _ The Codex Runaria _ ?”

Claude looked up and noticed a well-dressed man in burgundy coat, white cravat, with a handsome face and long flowing green hair. He stopped and looked at the book, “it is.”

The man smiled at him and adjusted his bangs, “may I?”

He stood up and handed the book to the man, “it was not useful.” His finger brushed against the other man’s hand and Claude felt a small pulse of darkness. It felt demonic but the person didn’t quite give off the same aura as a demon. Claude assumed it might be a half demon or just had a demon in his lineage.

“Oh, are you researching something?” he asked as he tilted his head and looked down the column of books on the small wooden table.

“This, I cannot make heads or entrails what they are.” He handed the slip of paper over the man and he took it. Claude noticed a strange green bird on his hand, he thought it most odd to see a bird after thinking of Lucy as one.

The green-haired man pursed his lips for a moment and then looked up at Claude. “This is a mental control spell; it was used to keep slaves biddable to their masters hundreds of years ago. It’s illegal in most of Ishgar, where did you see this?”

“How do you get rid of it?” Claude asked.

The man put the book down and patted his jacket, eventually pulling out a rather fine-looking fountain pen. He scribbled on the paper and handed it back to him, “you can’t just break the item the Runes are on, it would cause the death of personality to the person wearing it. So, you must cancel the Runes, those extra marks will change them and release the spell.”

“Once that is done, will the person be free?” Claude asked as he gathered his coat and readied to leave.

“Yes, but I have to ask,” he stepped in Claude’s way out, “where did you see such a thing?”

“A woman I was with last night had these on her collar,” he replied.

“Freed Justine, sorry for forgetting my manners.”

“Thank you Freed. Excuse me I have to go.” Claude tried to side step the lithe man and was blocked, he looked down at him and glared.

“I’m here with my team looking for a man named Bora. We believe he’s responsible for kidnapping several women and selling them into sex slavery. If you know anything, I implore you to share.”

Claude let his eyes revert to their demonic red as he flashed a sinister grin to Freed. “Stay out of it. This is my contract.”

Freed paled as his teal eye widened and mouth formed a perfect ‘oh’. He stepped to the side and cleared his throat as Claude walked by him, “why would a demon be interested in a sex slave ring?”

Claude paused and his shoulders tighten, he felt the rage slither through his veins and then he took a deep breath. “Even demons have a hatred for anything that violates free will. It violates the largest core of who we are as a species.”

“I didn’t mean offense. Thank you for explaining it to me.”

“Now if you excuse me,” Claude said his voice clipped.

“I wish you luck,” Freed whispered, “Hell hath no fury…”

“Forget Hell, there is no greater Wrath than what I shall bring.” Claude felt the side of his mouth curl up as he walked towards the exit, past the rows of arcane books and people lifting their heads to follow his movements. He knew his aura was leaking out of him, leaving a trail of malaise that the humans could sense. Their fear and curiosity perfumed the air before he stepped out into the bright sunny day.

Now that he could save Lucy, he needed her. He needed to remove the collar and take her. Needed to place her inside his web and keep her protected among the silk. That mage had done him a great favor, even though he now ushered the death of many people.

Three things would happen today. Claude would give into the urges taking over his mind and body in his desire for Lucy. He would free her from that hideous collar. He would finish the contract in blood.

Claude sped through the small village and headed for the road that led out of it. He remembered how to get to the large ornate mansion in the woods and paid no attention to the world as he moved. His mind gripped on seeing those brown eyes and pliant body under him.

He turned down the small game trail, stepping over fallen branches and dodging the weeping willow branches that kissed his head with their cool leaves. The forest air was fresh and pure, a bit of wild heavy in flora that disguised the stench of the vileness hiding inside the thick woods. The sun could barely penetrate the lush canopy of trees and specks of its golden light dappled the area.

Claude slowed his approach as he got near the house. He took a moment to adjust his clothing and checked his pockets for another trivial diamond and the scrap of paper with the edited runes. He pushed up his glasses and gave no thought to his hair as he walked slowly towards the large domicile.

The place was done in a motif that could only be classified as rugged lavishness. The logs were carefully chosen to have a fine grain and limited knots in the design. The windows were recessed and tinted to keep out the glaring sun. The porch had two guards on it sitting in wicker chairs and playing checkers. They stood up as Claude approached.

“What you want?” a young man with more muscles than hair follicles and most likely brains asked.

“I am Marquis Claude Faustus. I was here yesterday.”

Muscled idiot nodded to the other man, who was slimmer and darker. The second one walked inside the house as Claude stood three steps away from the porch. As much as he’d like to begin the bloodletting, he needed to save Lucy first.

Claude extended out his power, putting invisible spider webs down around the area and tracking the vibrations of them. Outside of the house were only two guards, the other one was in the back relieving himself. Inside he remembered seeing another four guards, plus the one that just went in put the number at seven.

Seven moronic humans against one demon? Claude liked the odds.

The other guard came out and shook his head as he stepped down the stairs and his companion followed him. “Boss said you need to make an appointment.”

Claude slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out another bauble. He held it up to the light and it glittered, “is he sure?”

The two guards stood there dumbfounded as they looked at the diamond. Claude waited, purposely turning the diamond in the light, he pushed a bit of his power into it and let it project the feeling of Greed. If anything, Claude understood, it was how stupid one could be when one is greedy. It had happened to him.

The door opened and out came Bora, he stood there in his black pants, a disheveled tunic and his brown hair was messier than usual. “Guards! I told you not to let him in.”

Claude looked up at him, “really? Why is that?”

As Bora stepped from the door, several guards followed him. He stood in front of the two dimwits and crossed his arms over his chest. He glared at Claude and the demon found it amusing to see the human make the attempt at intimidation.

“What did you do to Lucy?” he sneered.

“It is called multiple orgasms, perhaps you have heard of these?” Claude brought his hand down and playfully tossed the diamond up and caught it. He noted how the guards’ eyes all tracked it instead of watching him directly.

“You did something to her. It was in your contract, no magic to be used.”

He arched a brow, “I did not use any magic on her, just my considerable skills of pleasure.” Bora put his arms down, the man was bristling, and Claude was strangely confused by this. “May I ask, what is the concern? Lucy performed exquisitely yesterday. She was the very perfection of a good slave.”

“Doll, they are my dolls, not slaves!” Bora swiped his arm through the air to punctuate his words. Claude took satisfaction in seeing the slave trader’s façade crack.

“Pardon me then, why can I not see her?” Claude asked again.

Bora mumbled something under his breath and Claude leaned forward a little, “what was that?”

“She is off limits to you, take that rock and leave,” he said, and Claude could feel a bit of compulsion magic flare from the man. It was such a little thing that he almost laughed at the attempt.

Claude tossed the diamond up and caught it, he noted how all the guards moved their heads to track it. “I assume the guards get a piece of the take, pity for them you are turning away a decent sum.”

The guards all looked at Bora who was clenching his fists, his power flaring out over the area. Claude smiled, “are you certain you want to miss such a payday?” he tossed the diamond again.

“Er, boss?” the overly muscled guard asked, his grey eyes fixated on the glittering gemstone.

“I said no, now throw this man off the property.” His voice was tight, clipped as he tried again to send out a pulse of his own magic.

This time Claude simply brushed the magic away with a thought. He had the upper hand here; the base animalistic desires of Greed were easy to manipulate and stronger than any compulsion. People could not be swayed from their core and their core could always be amplified. Demons knew this well and took their sins seriously as a result.

The guards started murmuring until one of them grabbed a hold of Bora, while another one punched him in the gut. Suddenly the mage was buried under a pile of guards who were kicking him and shouting that they wanted their money. To Claude this was a beautiful thing.

“Leave him alive, tie him up and gag him,” he commanded, pulling back a little on his own magic to lessen the heightened feelings.

One of the guards looked at him and he threw the diamond at him as he walked past the group. “Enjoy your time, sir.”

“I intend to,” Claude paused, “oh, do keep him mostly alive. If you can there will be another diamond in it for you all.”

“Yes, sir!” many of them chirped and Claude could smell the bit of copper in the air from the bleeding mage. He didn’t have to look behind him to know that the pitiful and greedy humans were doing what he asked.

Riches were always one of the most complex and yet, simplistic things ever invented. He’d made deals with hundreds of humans who only wanted more riches. They wanted their businesses to grow or land to become viable or simply wanted to roll around in piles of golden coins. This was as old of a trick as the creation of Hell itself.

Greed was always useful, but it was a bitch to manage. In a way Claude should be grateful to Sebastian for reminding him of that.

He walked into the opulent house and headed for Lucy’s room. He adjusted his clothing and ran a hand through his hair before he politely knocked upon her door. Inside himself, his heart was beating rapidly, and he felt nervous amidst the elation over how well this day was going.

The door opened and he saw Lucy standing there in a torn dress that exposed her breast, her eyes still dull, her cheek red and a small cut on her lip. He growled and pushed his way into the room, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Lucy looked up into the golden eyes of Claude, he gently cupped her face and swiped his thumb over her stinging lip. She felt a slight tingling and no longer felt the bit of pain.

She said nothing as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Claude removed his gloves showing off his long fingers tipped with black nails.

“Claude?” she asked.

“Ssshh, one moment Lucy,” he whispered as he took the small charm around her neck and traced a nail over it. She could hear the scraping of metal and smelt a bit of acid in the air from the small plume of smoke from it.

Claude looked at her as his fingers came under the collar and he pulled it from her. Lucy took a step back as the strange haze of her world started to lift. This never happened when Bora was in the room, but she couldn’t remove the collar without him around. She fought for her breath as her thoughts flooded back in and her memories renewed in full technicolor.

He put his arm around her and led her to the bed, where Lucy leaned over, and he rubbed her back as she closed her eyes and relieved everything. “Oh God…” she whispered before she began to weep.

Those memories had only been faded background noises until this point and all her emotions flooded over her. She could see the nights of being used and toyed with. The faces of the people who used her for their own pleasure. The feelings of hopelessness she wrestled with and her pain at being alive.

He held her in his warm arms as she cried into his chest. This man who bought her had freed her. This man who taught her choice and made her remember her name, was holding her. She didn’t know if she could ever thank him for all of it, even if it hurt like Hell.

“What happened to you was cruel, he will suffer. I promise you that,” Claude whispered his deep voice like a balm over her abused soul.

Lucy pulled back and wiped the tears from her eyes, she could see her savior. His lips were pursed, and his brows knit as he looked at her. “I-I was kidnapped, after I ran from my father,” she said.

“Do you want to go back to him?” Claude asked.

Lucy shook her head, “n-no, he was going to sell me in a political marriage.”

Claude touched her face, “then, as a free woman, what do you want?” He took in a breath and Lucy looked into his golden eyes. She could feel a connection to him, almost able to read his very being.

It was the first time in her life she felt something so beautiful.

The slight frown to his lips told her that he was worried she wouldn’t want him. That somehow that chance meeting, that romantic rescue was not quite love but something at first meeting. That as lonely and lost as she was, he was too. She could see it in the slight movements of his face and the tone of his words.

“I want…” she flushed, “n-no, I can’t.” Lucy tried to move off the bed, feeling her heart race and a strange cold race up her back. She was lightly pulled back and realized that she had forgotten to let go of his hand.

“You can have whatever you want,” he said.

“B-but the things I did…” she looked down at her bare knees and noticed she had been sitting here with her breast just hanging out for the world to see. If it bothered Claude, he said nothing.

“You were forced to do. You never chose that life,” he slid closer to her and placed a gentle kiss to her temple, “I do not think less of you for it. I think you are perfect.”

Lucy looked at him and blinked, “I’m not perfect.”

“How do you know? Also, I am highly stubborn, you would have to do much to change my mind.”

Lucy giggled, she couldn’t help it, but he said it so earnestly it was funny to her. Claude kissed her cheek, “well, what do you say?”

“Hmmm to what?”

“A new life,” he paused and brought his lips closer to her ear, “possibly with me?”

“A new life…” she repeated, “with you?” Claude nodded and she looked away, taking in the room that had been her cage for years. “Can we leave now?”

He smiled, it was a bit of a menacing awkward smile but it suited his handsome face. “Be so kind to give me about ten minutes and I will come back for you.”

“W-what…” he pressed a finger to her lips and shook his head.

“Just wait,” he said and stood up.

“Wait! What about the others?” she asked and he looked down at her.

“Do not worry, they will be fine,” he pointed to her private bathroom, “why not go take a shower. I will return with some fresh clothes.”

Lucy nodded dumbly and got off the bed as Claude exited the room. She took in a deep breath and ran into the white and silver bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror and noticed that the brand was removed from her chest and her cut was healed and her cheek was no longer red. She started to wonder if Claude was some kind of angel or at the very least the quintessential Prince Charming.

She undressed and got into the small shower, letting the hot water cleanse her. She felt refreshed and ready to get out of here as she washed her body. Lucy was ready for this to be the last time she would ever see this place and would ever be locked in any kind of cage.

She was free and as her first official action as a now free woman she was leaving this place. Lucy would go with Claude and he earned the right to be the first person she would ever give herself to.

Lucy could recall all the passionate ways he touched her and kissed her, how he gave her so much. How he felt and the lewd sounds that came out of her mouth as if by instinct. His dirty words said in ways that made her dream and want to know what he would feel like. She even started to wonder if he looked as beautiful naked as he did in a suit.

She also questioned her sanity a bit, after years of being forced to have sex with people and she was ready to jump on her rescuer. Though as she rationalized it, there was a difference between being forced and mind controlled to have sex and choosing the person you want. God above did she want him, she’d felt that even with the damn collar around her neck.

When she was feeling better about things, Lucy got out of the shower and smiled as she saw a simple black dress and lingerie on the bathroom vanity. Lucy finished up some basic grooming and got dressed as quickly as she could. When she came out of the room, she saw Claude standing there, he looked a mess.

Her eyes went wide as she ran to him, “Claude?” His suit was torn in a few places, he had blood splattered all over him and his hair was even more disheveled.

“Not my blood, I am fine. It was just a few humans. We should go, I let everyone out and the fire should be starting soon.”

Lucy smiled at the thought of the house burning down and the others were free. She gave him a nod and he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. He took her hand and whispered something under his breath and in the next moment, they were standing inside of a beautiful bedroom. She saw the balcony doors were open and she ran outside, getting her first look at…

The sky was red, and the sun was a pale silver, the ground was dark and buildings grim looking but well built. She saw unusual creatures, many of them in the middle of… fighting? Her eyes widened, no some of them were just having heated sex in the middle of the street. She took in a deep breath and wrinkled her nose at the smell as Claude came up behind her.

“Sulphur, you adjust to it.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, “I did say I was a Marquis, though I rarely use this home.”

Lucy turned and looked up at him, “where are we?”

“Malphia, it’s a small village about 100 miles outside of the Capital.”

“Where exactly and why are people fucking in public?” Lucy asked, her words rushed as Claude led her back inside.

He pulled off his suit coat and undid the vest, leaving him in his blood stained white shirt and black pants, “Lucy, I am a demon, and this is Hell.”

Her eyes went wide as she started to feel faint, Claude moved to her and scooped her up. He placed her on the large black bed as he waved his hand and made a glass of water appear. She took it and downed it, wishing it was something stronger.

He only laughed, “being in Hell with a demon does not mean you were a bad person. That is another long story. Also,” he paused and looked away for a moment, “right now we demons are in Mating Season. There are only 2 more days left of it.”

“M-mating season?” she asked as he took the glass from her now trembling hand.

He nodded and took her hand, placing a kiss to her fingertips, “you felt it, despite the collar and all the magic layered on you. You felt that connection to me the first time we met.”

“Yes…” her voice trailed off. She knew she felt differently about Claude since the first moment she saw him. All her usually schooled reactions had gone out the proverbial window as she looked upon him.

“I am old, and I have never felt anything for another, like I felt the first time I saw your eyes. I want to mate you.”

“Is that why you saved me?” she asked.

He shook his head, “no, I was under a Royal Contract to destroy that sex slave ring. I had no idea you were there. I did not understand what I was feeling when we first met, not until I pulled that collar off you and got to see you fully.”

“So, we met because of fate?” she asked, hope bloomed in her chest at the thought of this being a wonderfully romantic chance meeting.

“I guess you could say that, but I know that you are the one meant for me and I am the one for you. I can give you anything you ever wanted. Freedom, wealth, adventure…”

“Books? Learning?” Lucy felt herself become excited and she began to smile, “Friends? Family?” Claude nodded along to all of it.

“All of it, if you…” he didn’t get to finish that as Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Claude pulled back and gently held her face, “want. This is still your choice.”

Lucy nodded excitedly, “yes, I want it.”

Claude tilted his head, “are you certain? You are now free.”

“You’re not going to lock me away or prevent me from being me,” she pursed her lips, “I think.”

“No, ma chérie. We will be mates, which means we will belong to each other. You would never know another man, never be courted by another or experience all the aspects of such things.”

Lucy shrugged, “Claude, I’ve had more than enough sex,” he flinched, “to last me several lifetimes. I don’t want to go out and sample.”

He ran his thumb over her cheek and gazed into her eyes. Silence stretched out between them as they gazed into one another. She didn’t know how she knew but she knew this was important to him and that he was cautious about freeing her only to claim her.

She knew he was conflicted, and she had a small smidge of doubt creep up. What if he was right? What if she was only trading one cage for another? As he quietly looked at her, she realized that this wasn’t a cage.

After all those years, to have one person would be a different kind of freedom. To no longer be bought and sold like cattle and allowed to live would be the best ending to this nightmare she called her life thus far. Lucy could have a happily ever after, eventually her own family, and all the adventure that she wanted when she left her father’s mansion to seek out Fairy Tail.

“Claude,” she nibbled her bottom lip, “do you want to mate?”

He nodded, “I have never wanted anything more in my life.” Claude chuckled, “to think, in my youth I hated this season and tried to have it banned. Now I understand its importance.”

“Which is?”

“The ultimate freedom that comes with finding balance and the completion of one’s very being. I no longer would walk the world alone with only my thoughts, but I get to see everything new again through your eyes. Eventually, through the eyes of our own children.”

Lucy kissed him again, feeling her heart float around in her chest, like it was doing its own happy dance. “Then mate me,” she whispered against his thin lips.

Claude reached behind him and grabbed the top of the cast iron headboard, “you control this.” Lucy nibbled her bottom lip as she looked at his face. She tried to think carefully because this was new to her.

She’d never taken the lead before in sex and for something this important she worried about messing this up. What if he wasn’t satisfied? What if she couldn’t give him all the pleasure, he gave to her? Would he find her lacking as a mate and his balance?

“Lucy, follow your instincts. Whatever you choose, it will excite me,” for effect he rolled his hips up a little letting a semi-hard erection press against her core. Lucy sucked in a breath and gently removed his glasses, setting them on the dark nightstand. He was still immaculate to look at, but the glasses were like a little cherry on the hot sundae of him.

She started slowly, kissing his cheek, along his jaw, and down his pale neck. Lucy started to undo the buttons of his shirt, slowly parting the silken material to reveal his form. Claude was gorgeous, toned and sculpted in a way Lucy hadn’t seen before. The definition of his muscles was carved but he wasn’t bulky in any way, it was like staring at a work of art.

“I see you approve,” he whispered his voice a little deeper than normal.

Lucy licked her bottom lip as her hands splayed against his very warm chest. “You’re so beautiful…” She met his eyes and noticed that they were red, she blinked and leaned back. “Your eyes, why are they red?”

Claude gave her a soft awkward smile, “that means I am turned on. Demon eyes tend to show through when we are either in Lust or in Wrath.”

“Oh,” she said as she studied how his eyes no longer looked like liquid gold but blazing rubies. Lucy leaned forward and gently kissed each of his eyes, enjoying the small hum of approval from the demon under her.

She started to move down his body, enjoying the soft texture and warmth of his skin. Claude tightened the grip on the headboard as his head rolled back while she teased one of his nipples. Lucy twirled her tongue around it before she gently bit it and he hissed.

She liked that sound, it sounded completely animalistic and she wondered what other sounds Claude could make. God knew he had got her to make a plethora of honest and carnal sounds from their night. Sounds and feelings Lucy had never felt or made in her entire life.

Lucy began to undo his silver belt and she noticed a strange pattern to the buckle. There was something that looked like black spider webs against the silver and she traced her finger over it. The texture was smooth, the work was exquisite and the black leather under it was some of the softest she ever felt.

“Custom belt, eewep leather and the etching was done by one of my sisters. She designs jewelry and accessories in the Capital.”

Lucy blinked, “why spider webs?”

“I am an Arachnid demon. I have some of their gifts and they are my familiars.”

She shivered, “ummm, will I be one?” Lucy wasn’t comfortable with that, she hated spiders. The little eight-legged freaks scared the fuck out of her. She’d been bitten once as a little girl and could still remember how horrible she felt as she was stuck in bed with fever, pains and sweats.

He shook his head, “you might, or you might be something else. Not everyone who mates a demon becomes one. That is for nature to decide. Does the spider aspect scare you?”

She nodded, “got bit once when I was little.”

Claude chuckled, “you probably made it angry. Most spiders want to be left alone but they will defend themselves.”

Her eyes went wide, “that makes sense, but still… creepy.” She clasped her hands over her mouth as Claude barked out a laugh.

“It is fine, I am used to it. I have even seen a Prince of Hell shiver at the site of spiders. The upside is that I can keep them away from you. You would never have to see one, if you do not wish it. Unless we visit one of my sisters, she adores being an Arachnid.”

Lucy blinked, he sounded perfectly normal when he talked about his family and his offer to keep spiders from her was generous. She wanted to ask him more questions about his family or about spiders but as she looked at him, she noticed his arms shaking. His body was tightening under her and a small bit of sweat had broken out against his skin. His hard dick was straining against the fabric of his pants.

Her face softened as she smiled, understanding that he was slowly losing it and holding back to give this to her. She’d never met a more generous soul than this demon and that almost made her giggle. She started to wonder how much about demons was just lies or misunderstanding but that could wait as she undid the belt and slowly unbuttoned his pants.

Claude sucked in a breath as he lifted his hips and let her slide the material down his legs. She stopped to take off his black dress shoes and threw them over the side of the bed, along with his pants and boxers. Except for his wide-open shirt, he was bare upon the bed. The contrast of the black sheets against his pale skin was gorgeous, it accented him more.

His legs were long and powerful but what had her attention was his proud member. Her eyes widened a little at the site as her mouth filled with saliva. He looked like the most delicious treat she had ever seen, and her panties became moist from the rush of liquid heat pooling into them. Claude gazed at her, she felt tiny next to him and yet felt powerful at the same time.

Lucy ran her hands up his thighs, feeling Claude quiver under her touch, she bent over and slowly dragged her tongue from the base to his tip. He hissed again and she loved it.

She nuzzled his thick length, enjoying the taunt velvety feel of him against her cheek. Lucy sighed in satisfaction before she swirled her tongue over the tip and collected a bit of moisture.

“Ah,” he moaned, “Lucy, be very careful.”

Her eyes fluttered closed as she barely registered his words, her mind too enthralled with the dark spicy mixture of his precum. He whispered something as she opened her mouth and slowly started taking him in. He might have said the words “aphrodisiac” and “ejaculation,” but she wasn’t certain.

Lucy bobbed her head up and down his length, using her hand in concert to feel all of him. She was good for a decent deep throat but he was much bigger than she was ever comfortable with. Claude’s hips moved with her motions as he panted and made other interesting sounds under her.

More of his precum came up and she enjoyed the taste, letting it cloud her mind as she worked him. Lucy hollowed her cheeks as she sucked a little harder and his hips gave a sudden violent thrust up. She blinked back the tears from the shock and knew he didn’t mean to do it.

“P-Please… for the love of Satan…” he begged, and Lucy looked up at him, a hefty amount of his cock in her mouth. Claude’s body was tense and shaking, his face contorted into a myriad of expressions only a man – demon - lost could make.

She let go of his cock and gently ran her hand up it for a few firm pumps before she got up on her knees and lifted her dress. His gaze upon her was intense, she’d never seen anything like it, from the bead of sweat racing down his temple, his brows drawn tight and eyes narrowed.

Lucy removed her clothes, throwing them to the floor and crawled up to him, sitting upon his erection that twitched under her wet pussy. He felt like he was on fire from all the heat and she cupped his elegant face before she kissed him again.

Their tongues slid against each other as she rocked her hips, feeling him against her very sensitive clit. He held onto that headboard as she kissed him and moved with the goal of making a mess in his lap from her moisture. It would be easier for her to handle him the wetter she was.

Then again, she’d never been this wet before in her life. Her body was warming up, every bit of her was a new height of sensitivity and she felt a deep connection to the demon withering under her ministrations.

It was as powerful as it was erotic.

Lucy pulled back from the kiss and got up on her knees, she angled his cock and slowly sank upon him. They both cried out as she stretched and burned to take him. It wasn’t uncomfortable, it was a feeling of fullness physically and spiritually. As she completed the movement, she leaned forward and placed her nose against his neck as she let her body adjust to him.

“There you are, hmmm… feels like home,” she whispered.

“Lucy,” he whispered her name in reverence, like a softly spoken erotic prayer.

She lifted her head and kissed him again as she grabbed his shoulders and adjusted her position. Lucy planted her feet against his sides, the deeper position making her head swim as his dick hit her in just the right spot. Lucy gasped against his lips and opened her eyes to stare into his red ones.

Lucy started slowly, lifting herself up and coming back down, feeling every bit of his texture and length. Her body was primed and ready but still struggled against the hot hard length. She tried to relax but also wanted to go faster and harder. She wanted to take him for everything and give everything in return.

A completed circuit, never ending and would never devour itself like Ouroboros. Lucy couldn’t explain it but she felt that the uneven scales of her life had finally shifted to balance as she rode him.

Claude moved his legs slightly, digging his heels into the bedding as he started to match her thrusts. That extra bit of a snap sent her mind into orbit as the everything around her became heightened.

The feelings.

The colors.

The scents.

The sounds.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she pressed her now sweaty forehead to his and they gazed at each other. The outside world no longer mattered. Her past or his species didn’t matter. All that matter was this union, this moment and his eyes gazing into the deepest parts of her.

Lucy bounced wildly on him, feeling a new sense of power and beauty every time they connected. “Claude…” she whispered as that coil tightened in her gut and she felt like a notched arrow ready to spring forward.

“Fuck… _ ngh _ …there…” she called out as she found an angle and a thrust. Her legs were getting tired, but she powered through it to chase that state of bliss that was waiting for her on the other side. She chased it like a hunter after prey and when she found it, everything blew apart.

Her eyes wrenched shut as she screamed out inconsistent half words and every nerve ending lit up. Lucy felt the rush through her veins, her whole body opening up as her channel milked his dick in quick pulses. Her clit throbbed and she grinded lightly on his lap, enjoying the wild feeling that had been released through her.

Claude let go of the headboard and wrapped his arms around her waist before rolling them over. Her legs went around his waist as her heels pushed into his taunt ass. He started to move, barely giving her time to recover from the bliss of her orgasm.

“Need you,” he grunted as his thrusts became harsher. She held on tight to him as he pounded into her, his dick destroying any thought in her head and enthralling her body to the feeling.

“Take me… oh Claude...” she said and he kissed her again, this time rolling her up a little on her slim shoulders to hit her deeper than before.

He stopped kissing her and moved his head to her neck where he licked the delicate skin before she felt a piercing sensation. Lucy clawed at his shoulders as she came again from the burning bite that was sending waves of pleasure through her.

Claude held his mouth to her neck as he let out a harsh breath through his nose and snapped into her before he started shaking. He pulsed lightly as she felt his cock spasm inside of her sensitive channel. They came together and it was beautiful, despite their bodies being a sweaty quivering mess on the ornate bedding.

He lifted up from her neck, his eyes back to liquid gold and his features softened. Claude smiled at her and kissed her cheek, “now the real fun begins.”

Lucy blinked as her body started to shake under him and everything became wildly vivid. Details overlooked came into focus and her body thrummed in desperate need for more of him. She let out a long wanton moan as Claude chuckled. “I did warn you.”

Her back arch as incoherent babble came from her lips, “please… fuck…Claude… more… mmmm…”

“My pleasure,” he said and to her relief the demon moved again.

Claude looked over at his sleeping mate, they had been at it fiercely for several hours. He did try to warn her that his orgasm was a heavy aphrodisiac, it was a strange quirk of being a male Arachnid. He watched her chest move slowly with her slow breaths and noticed how relaxed she looked. It was as if she was finally getting a chance to sleep.

He smiled as he got out of the bed and grabbed a lush purple robe from the armoire. He then made himself a quick drink and stepped out to the balcony. The people were still in the middle of their fighting and fucking, as Mating Season continued. He leaned against the dark stone and watched, wishing them all the very best in their pursuit.

Now that he understood how beautiful mating was, he looked favorably on this chaotic time of passion. He finally got it, why this was necessary and how freeing the finding of a mate was. Claude had achieved balance, something he was never aware of how much he needed.

He looked over his shoulder, seeing Lucy still asleep and feeling the peace that came from such a simple sight. Claude sipped his fire whiskey, enjoying the slight burn down his throat and it’s spicy taste on his tongue.

For once the spider was at peace and though he loathed to admit it, he owed it all to the demon who killed him.

Wrath was a very strange thing.

_ One year later… _

Asmodai looked over the sickly ginger bearded human, as he sat upon the black stool beside the sick bed. He reached into his suit coat pocket and pulled out the photo, handing it to the man. The man looked over it and smiled, his eyes crinkling from the warmth.

“She’s a mother?” he asked.

“Yes, she just had the triplets and is enjoying a fine and loving life.” Asmodai said as he looked over at the picture. It was Claude and Lucy sitting together on a large red couch, holding their three daughters swaddled in purple and gold blankets.

“Her eyes are different,” the man said before he had a coughing fit. Asmodai grabbed a handkerchief and collected the bits of blood that came flying from his dry mouth.

“She mated a demon and the changes are normal. Overall, she is still the same daughter you asked me to find.”

“What happened to her?” he asked and Asmodai pursed his lips.

“She was captured by a sex slaver and forced to live that way for several years.” The man grimaced as he gripped his chest, “she is free now, do you wish me to tell her?”

The man shook his head, “no, she doesn’t need to know,” another coughing fit, “let her be happy.”

Asmodai nodded as he saw the man close his eyes and struggle for a deep breath. It was a moment to let this man have the last bit of Pride, as he slowly dies in this squalor of a hospice. It was the only reason Asmodai came back to the man, he was owed a soul and knew when they met a couple weeks before Mating Season, he was not long for this world.

Sometimes a demon will choose to let the contractee live out the rest of their life before they take the soul and sometimes they take the soul as soon as the contract is finished. He chose to let this repentant father live, he’d punished himself for years for his failures and he deserved each one of them.

Perhaps it was fate or even luck that had Asmodai answering the summons of this once powerful man of industry. All he knew was that when the man handed him a faded picture of a beautiful young woman, he could see small spiders upon her skin. He could feel the small fated connections from her to the one demon who really needed a decent lay and a bit of happiness.

“You need my soul?” he asked before he clutched his chest, tears spilling from his eyes. “Layla, I’m sorry.” The old man coughed again before his body seized and then went limp.

Asmodai opened his bloody mouth and called out the small soul. He took it in the palm of hand and walked towards the window. He gave a silent nod to the Archangel waiting, his copper hair blowing in the soft breeze and an amused smile on his face.

“So not like you, Dai,” he said, his voice smooth and loaded with mirth.

“This was a very special exception, do not think it will ever happen again.”

The Archangel took the soul, placing it in a small glass orb, “who was this again?”

“His name was Jude Heartfilia, his wife is already in the Fields. He would do no good to be in Hell. Even I can respect the treaty, Gabriel.”

Gabriel nodded, “that was always your thing, shame you picked the losing side.”

Asmodai shrugged, “not losing, different. You may not like my world, but it is freer than yours. We are not heartless and mindless agents of darkness. At some point, Heaven will wise up and understand that we are complex creatures capable of both light and dark.”

He shrugged and his pale grey and silver wings flared out for a second, “give it a few more millennia, you know how slow we are.” The Archangel chuckled and Asmodai felt a small smile pull at his lips. Gabriel was always a little more forward thinking but preferred his own side to any other side. He would have made a fine Prince.

“Well this was fun, but I gotta go, Michael will lose his shit if I stick around too much longer.”

Asmodai nodded, “tell him I said hello.”

Gabriel laughed and shook his head, “fuck no, he doesn’t need to know we met. Thanks again, I’ll go bring the Heartfilias together.”

“Be well,” the Archangel vanished and Asmodai turned around. He tucked the picture into Jude’s clenched hand and pulled up the white sheet.

It was the least he could do, this human had done a great service for an old friend. He’d be damned if Claude ever learned any of that. Better to keep their relationship where it was at, he always liked a decent opponent.

_Fin._

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:
> 
> If you caught it, I used the same changes I made to Sebastian in Mating Season - Heartless. Based on the structure of Hell from the real Sebastian Michaelis’s work, Admirable History. I did add in a nod to Ars Goetia by giving Claude a rank of Marquis.
> 
> Pallidus is a species of Latrodectus, commonly the widow spider. Oddly enough this spider isn’t highly venomous, it’s white which is unusual for the species, the females are cannibals but can cohabitate with males for long periods of time (why risk it, right Claude?) and the males after maturity will spend their entire existence looking for a mate. So, it worked. Side note: I’m arachnophobic, so staring at spider pictures or reading about them scares the shit out of me. I do it because I’m just committed to telling the best damn story I can.
> 
> Ortolans – yes, this is a very real thing and it’s a pretty disturbing dining choice. I never heard of this till I saw the TV show Hannibal and it was discussed during a rather intense dining scene. Then a little research (finding that they didn’t just make this up for epic TV), a little nausea and I pulled from this memory to add in a layer of characterization to the story through its symbolism.
> 
> Stay safe, stay healthy. Thank you.


End file.
